Improvement in subsoil-plow



taitttl mes JAM'ES'W. Munras', or .HAVANNA- ALABAMA. Y

Letters Patent No.91',657, dated June 22, 1869..

' IMPROVEMENT 1N sU1aso11;.-=r.ow.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. M UnFnn, of l-Iavan ua, Hale county, Alabama, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Subsoil- Plo\vs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescrip tion thereof', which will enable others skilled inthe art to make and `use the same, reference being' had to `the-aceoinpan yin g drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure l isa side elevation of a subsoil-'plow-and frame'. Y

Figure 2 is a side elevation ofthe shank and point.

Figure 3 is au under perspective view of the heel and point.

Figure 4 is a perspectiveA view of the point and socket.

Figure 5 isA al'view of the heel and tenen. l

`Figure (i sahorizontal projection of heel and point.

Figure 7 is an end perspective view of the triangular point.

Figure 8 is au end perspective of the qnadraugular point. A

Figure 7 at A B G, is a transverse section of trianf gular point.

Figure 8, -at D E F G, is a. transverse section of quadrangular point.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists in an arrangement of a horizontal wedge-shaped coulter, for plowing and pulverizing the earth. lhis wedge is driven horizontally through the ground, by being attached to an inclined and wedge-edged cuttirlg-coulter, which coulter is attached to the beam of the plow. l

' The coulter is setas acutely with the horizon, as practicable, seas to approach the line of the axis of the plow or hoe as near as may be; and the power is applied thereby as nearly in the directiouof theaxis of the wedge as possible.

'lhe standard of the frame is a continuation of the line of the Coulter-shank; and the angle which the handles make with the horizon, or base of the plowpoint, should be a mean of the angles which the top ofthe point and front edge ot' thecoulter-shank make with the horizon, so that any power applied in the direction of the handles by the plowman, will have the greatest eli'ect ou the p oint and shank.

The point is made of wrought, or cast-metal, and in shape is either a triangular pyramid, or a quadrangular pyramid, with the apex in cithr-r one slightly bevelled', as showli in the iig-uresat J. The axis of the pyramid is coincident with the lower side, which runs parallel to the horizon. l

This lower side is hollowed out, y(or coneave,) as shown atl in the drawings, and bevelled, so as to form wedge-edges, and make a hollow cone for the escape ot' the earth after being cut. `These lower edges cut the earth like knives, and the plow runs on these sharp edges, while the earth has an easy escape through the hollow.

The upper sides of this point consist of two or Vthree triangles, slightly truncated and rounded at their apexes, as seenat J. These. upper triangular sides ofthe pyramid forni the inclined planes ofthe wedge. p

The rear of the plowsharc (heel) is a reversed truncated wedge, K.

' 'llre base of this heel starts to the rear from L, the highest point ot' the hollow under the point,and is elevated as it proceeds to the rear, M.

The heel is built ou the Coulter-shank, and the point can be attached thereto by a mortise-and-tenon joint and key, as at N, or by any other ordinary means of attachment.

In wrought-metal, the heel, point, and shank may Y be forged together', or made separately, as abovedescribed.

The cutting-Coulter shank is made of metal, with wedge, or knife-edge to the front, expanded and thickened at the beam, or top end, so as to form braces, and is' attached to the beam by commonbolts and screws.

The angle which this coulter-shank makes with the beam in front, is as acute as practicable. l

The lower end of this Coulter-shank is so attached to the plow-hoe, (point and hcel,) as to make the lower side ot' the point (base) set trueon the horizontal plane The upperend of the coulter-shank is so aligned, as to give the beam a small inclination above the horizon, when the plow-point is sitting on itsbase.

'.lhe beam of the'frame is made of wood or metal,

and the handles are of wood. 'lhe standard and han dles are set, as before mentioned.

The smaller forward lcutting-Coulter H is made of metal, (wrought-iron or steel.) lhe shank of this coulter is perpendicular to the beam, and the cutting,

. or lower part is made knife-like, the front edge setting parallel to the front eudof the coulter-shank.

The operation is as follows :l

The point of the plow (share) or lioe acts in the ground as a wedge does in wood, splitting and break# ing the earth into pieces, pulverizing,r it extensively. lhis snbsoil-plow may be constructed as to run from twelve to twenty-four inches deepl' The lower side 'of the wedge heilig hollowed"(or archedl) and bevelled, so as to produce sharp edges, cuts the earth like a knife, and the plow running upon these'edges, the friction is reduced to a minimum.

The earth escapes easily under the hollow (arch) of the point, and under the inclined heel.

rlhe sides of the heel being made -of a truncated wedge, reversed, diminishes tb'e friction, and acts like the sharp after-part of a ship or vessel in the water.

'lhe power applied to drive a'wedge, acts with the greatest effect, when applied in the direction of 4the axis of the wedge, wbieh direction, in this case,is horizontal; and the power, in this case, being applied i-n the direction of', and along the axis ot' the coultershauk, it follows, that since the direction ofthe shank v a very small angle with the axis of the wedge, (just sufficient to keep the plow in the gronud,) the wedge is dra'wn through the earth, parallel with the horizon. These peculiar wedge upper surfaces, and the peculiar under hollow (arch) and knife-edges, tend'to keep the plow in the ground, and allow the beam toY be set more nearly parallel tothe axis of the plow-wedge.

The smaller advanced (forward) cutting-Coulter H,

being set-to cut poiutedly, and in front of the plow,

point, relieves the pressure upon the plow-point, and makesthe passage of' the plow easier.

The plow may be worked with or without the cntting-coulter.

yThe standard of the frame being in the same line as the lcuttilifg-c'oulter lsha-nk, any power applied by the plowman, throngh the handles, down the standard, acts down the Coulter-shank on the wedge, and assists the beam. Now the handles being set near the mean angie ot' the Coulter-shank and wedge, and as nearly parallel to both, at the saine time, as practicable, all the power exerted by the plcwinan on and in the direction of these handles, (levers,) will act equally upon the Coulter-shank and wedge, and further assist the team.

The same force of plowman, which, applied to handles, assisted in driving the plow forward, will, when reversed, enable the plowinau to withdraw the plow easily from the earth, when obstructed.

Having thus described my invention, -What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ips- 1. The wedge-shaped slare herein described, the upper surface being composed of two or threeinclined planes, the under surface beingbollowed ont (arched) .and bevelled, so as to form wedge-edges below, upon the sides and front, substantially as specified.

2. The reversed truncated wedge-shaped heel, elevated towards the rear, substantially as specified.

y 3. The arrangement ot' the conlter-shank, in`rear of the greatest transverse diameter ci' the wedge, and acutely thereto,` so that the po'wer is applied, asv near as' practicable, in the direction of the axis ofthe point,

substantially as speciiied.

4. The arrangement of the standard ofthe frame, in a liuc with the Coulter-shankand' thehandles, parallel to a line, which, in direction, is a mean between the line of' the shank and point, or nearly so, substantially as specied.v n

JAS. W. MURFEE.

Witnesses:

F. G. S'rrcKNEY, W. It. POOL. 

